Garment



I April 7, 1942. v -r255 2,279,125

GARMENT Filed Feb. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet;

I NVEN TOR.

LOUIS MINTZES [April v L. MINTZES 2,279,125

GARMENT Filed Feb. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LOUIS MiNTZES INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 7, 1942 U N 1 TE D STATES PAT-ENT- OFFICE GARMENT Louis Mintzes, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application February 20, 1940, Serial No. 319,899

2- Claims.

This invention relates to garments and particularly to a convertible sport costume and gymnasium suit.

The main object of the invention is to provide a garment of this character which includes a waist and skirt portion, and-which enables the free use of the limbs during athletic exercises.

Another object of this invention is to provide a costume of this character which embodies a divided skirt and which is equipped with means for readily converting the athletic suit into a street costume.

Another object of this invention is to provide a convertible garment having a bifurcated skirt providing leg portions loosely inclosing the legs of the wearer and having inverted pleat elements at the front and rear for covering the said bifurcated front and rear so as to simulate a contiuous skirt hem.

Another object of this invention is to provide insert members in the said bifurcations for closing said openings against drafts, the said insert members comprising leg embracing members and the said insert members bridging the space between the lower edge of the said bifurcations and the leg embracing members.

Another object of this invention is to secure said inserts to said bifurcations by stitching the top edge portions of said inserts to the top portion of the bottom hem, so as to permit the bottom edge portion of the garment to overhang and to provide a sharply defined linear edging and to also permit the said inserts to be extensible below the said hem.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the convertible garment, the front inverted pleat covering the opening between the bifurcated leg inclosing members to simulate a skirt.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the convertible garment, the rear inverted pleat covering the opening between the bifurcated leg inclosing members to simulate a skirt, and showing the leg inclosing members in a position of concealment under the overlying outer fabric.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken in the directions of the arrows along the line 33, shown in Figure 1 and slightly above the crotch.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the two front panels and two side sections ready for sewing together.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary lower portion of the garment, partly in cross-section, and with the inserts in exposed position. I

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, the gectionbeing taken as on line 66 in Figure Figure 7 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of one of the leg enclosing. members of the garment and showing a detachable insert.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the numeral I0 indicates a, convertible garment comprising an upper body portion I I and a lower skirt portion'IZ. The skirtportion flares outwardly from the waistline to the bottom. The skirt portion has been bifurcated to form leg portions or leg enclosing members I3, I3, loosely inclosing the legs of the wearer. vThe two leg portions have been joined along a seam I4 extending from the bottomedge I5 of the garment upwardly along the full lengthof the crotch I6.

In order to make this garment convertible from a gymnasium suit to a form-fitting sport costume, I have formed an inverted front pleat I1 and an inverted rear pleat I8, both of said pleats being positioned at the center portion of the garment. The pleats I1 and I8 are stitched down.

As shown in Figure 3, the meeting edges of the pleats I1 and I8 are aligned in substantially abutting relation so as to provide a sharply defined linear edging all around the bottom edge of the garment. Referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the garment herein disclosed is sectional, that is, it is built up of two front panels I9, I9, and two side sections 20, 20, forming the front portion of the garment I0. The rear portion of the garment is built up of two panels and two side sections similar to the panels I9 and side sections 20. It will be noted that the waist portions 2| of the side sections 20 and the waist portions 2 I of the panels I9 have been made narrower than the neck and bottom hem portions so as to make the garment form-fitting.

The front panels I9 have been cut so as to permit folding along the dot and-dash line 22 for the formation of the inverted pleat I'I, shown in Figure 3. The lower ends of the front panels I9 have been formed with sideways extensions 23 forming portions of the leg inclosing members l3, shown in Figure 3.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the front and bust portion of the garment I during gymnastic This disten-I, sion is possible due to the opening up of ,the

To prevent exposure of the body during athleticactivities, I have provided inserts or leg embrac-.

drills or other forms of athletics.

rear invert pleat.

ing members 26 located at a predeterminedposition within the leg inclosing members Band;

arranged to closely encircle the limbs of the wearer and to close the annular-spaces between the leg" inclosing members" l3 and-the limbs-of the wearer., i Each insert 26 comprises a converging body-Z'I and a cuff 28. The body'21 ismade-of aiabric which is very pliable. The cuff 28 is made of a fabric which has a relatively high inherent elas ticity such as knit fabric. The cuff 28 is at tached to the body 21 along anedge-thereof under tension'so that when the tensioniisf relieved and the our resumes its normal position the body 21 will be gathered along said edge. v The cuffs128 are dimensioned so as to' grip the limbs of the wearer. The inserts 26 present a converging form in their normal operating positions.

In practice,'the upper edges of the bodies'21 are attached by circumferential stitching 29 to the leg members [3 interiorly thereof at the top portion 30 of the bottom hem 3i, eachinsert 26 being of sufiicient length to extend below the bottom of the leg enclosing members 13.

When the garment is'being wornythe' calves of the wearer will be encircled by the inserts 26 and will be closely gripped by the elastic cuffs 28 to provide protection 'againstdrafts and colds and permit the'g'arment to be womunder all weather conditions. The construction of the flexible inserts as above' described permits the garment to hang the same way as j if the serts were not present. t i It is to'be noted that the importance of attaching the inserts26' to the top portion 30 ofthe hem 3! lies in the fact that whether the inserts are below or above the 'lineof attachment '29, the bottom edgeor lower border line I5 ofthe garment remains atall times clearly defined and hangsin an unhampered and free condition. The graceful form-fitting lines of the garment are thus not destroyed. bestjshown' inFigure 5,

it will be seen that the. bottom edge l5 of the. leg enclosing members terminates slightly below the crotch I6. 4. 3

As shown in Figures -1, 2 and Lone of the-objects of this invention is to provide a convertible form-fitting garment in which the panels and side sections are integral from the neck down to the bottom edge or hem. 3|. This makespossible the construction of a garment without any crossseams at the waist and which does away with the use of a belt, while retaining its form-fitting qualitiesand producinga' slenderizing elfect.

As shown in Figure 6, the distended position at the rear of the waist portion 32 of the garment I0 is shown by the dot-and-dash'line 33. This 7 claims.

wer

action-back construction makes it possible for the wearer during athletic exercises to distend the waist and bust portion of the garment between the points 24 and 25.

For the purposes of this invention which are to provide a garment which can be quickly changed for difierent uses in athletics, I have provided a convertible collar 36 which'can be transformed into a hood 31 for covering the head of the wearer, as is well known in the art.

In' the assembled position shown in Figure l, the elements of the front invert pleat I! are connected by suitable releasable closure means such asby means of buttons 5| and buttonholes 52, shown in Figure 6.

1Figurei 7 shows an enlarged fragmentary por- .tion of. a modified tubular insert 26 which may be detachably secured to the hem 3| of the leg portion 13 of the garment. As shown, the hem 3| has been raised up to show a braid 55, secured by a line of stitching 56. The braid comprises spaced loops 51. The modifiedtubular insert 26' comprises a flexible fabric 21', having a hem 58 at its'upper elevation. A braid 59 having spaced loops fill has been secured to the hem 58 by stitching 52. A -cord- 6| has been interwound with the loops 5'! and 60 so that the said loops will come into registery when the cord has been drawn taut around the upper portion of the insert26'. I

While I'have shown one form of detachable means in Figure 7 for securing the removable leg embracing inserts to the garment, it is to be understood that I may employ any other means for 'detachably securing the inserts to the garment, such'as slide closure-means of the Zipper type. 1

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described and illustrated the preferred embodimentof my invention, butit will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made thereinwithout departing from the pirit of the invention as defined by the appended Iclaimt' i 1. A garment comprising a bifurcated sport costume and gymnasium suit, said garment comprising front and rear portions extending from the neck to the'vicinity of the knees of the wearer, said portions" below the crotch having inner extensions connected together forming individual leg enclosing members including a hem, the front and rear portionshavingfolds providing inverted pleats at the center of the front and back of the garment, the inverted pleat elements below said crotch at the front and back meeting each other and covering the opening between the said individual bifurcated leg enclosingmembers. said in-' dividual leg enclosing members terminating in conical leg embracing members, said leg embracing members being secured to said leg enclosing members at the top portion of the said bottom hems, said leg embracing members being of suflicient length to permit movement-thereof below the bottom of said 'leg enclosing members to convert said sport costume into a gymnasium suit, said leg embracing members being adapted to be moved upwardly into a position of concealment 2. A garment comprising a bifurcated sport costume andgymnasiumsuit, said garment comprising'front and rear panels extending from the neck to'the vicinity of the knees of the. wearer, said panels belowthe crotch havingirmer extensions connected together forming individual leg enclosing members including a hem, the front and rear panels being folded to provide inverted pleats at the center of the front and back of the garment, said inverted front pleat having releasable closing means, the inverted pleat elements 5 below said crotch at the front and back meeting each other and covering the opening between the said individual bifurcated leg enclosing members, said individual leg enclosing members terminating in conical leg embracing members, said leg 1 embracing members being secured to said leg enclosing members at the top portion of the said bottom hems, said leg embracing members being of sufficient length to permit movement thereof below the bottom of said leg enclosing members to convert said sport costume into a gymnasium suit, said leg embracing members being adapted V to be moved upwardly into a position of concea1- ment under the overlying outer fabric.

' LQUIS MINTZES. 

